BALSAMIC & CHICKEN LIVER PATE'

Germans nosh on Leberwurst, a sausage of spiced offal.  French cooking is famous for liver terrines.  In Italy, though, there is no native term for kindred dishes.  Italians use the French word 'pâté' to designate spreadable mixes of meats or vegetables.  But, in Tuscany, locals pride themselves on a liver-based appetizer that scarcely looks like its North European cousins. Crostini ai fegatini consists of charred bread topped in a spread of chicken livers, capers and aged balsamic. Unlike most pâtés, it is served hot.

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In blending the meat with syrupy balsamic and caramelized onions, Tuscan chefs manage to subdue the organ's metallic tang.  When you eat the crostini, you taste herbs and balsamic alongside liver's ferrous flavor.  Before serving, the liver is sauteed on the stove in a reduction of red wine and sweet vinegar.  The liquids work to leach the "liver-y" taste from the spread. This is pâté for the liver-phobic. 

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INGREDIENTS

* 8-10oz of chicken livers

* 1 sweet red onion, chopped

* 3-4 tbs of extra virgin olive oil

* 4-5 anchovies, chopped

* 1.5 tbs of capers

* 2 tbs of aged balsamic vinegar

* 1/2 cup of red wine

* 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes

* 1/4 of a parsley bunch, roughly chopped

* 1 rustic Italian loaf (8-10 slices), toasted or grilled

Roughly dice the sweet onion.  Later, the pâté will be blended in a food processor so the onion need not be diced evenly.  Then, chop the anchovy filets and the parsley.  Heat the olive oil over medium in a mid-sized skillet.  Add in the anchovies and sizzle them until they begin to fall apart.  At this point, add the onions. Sauté the onions until they begin to brown and caramelize. This will take about 7-8 minutes.  Stir a few times while the onions are sautéing in order to prevent burning. 

If the chicken livers aren't deveined, remove any large veins that bisect the livers. Add the livers to the caramelized onions, cooking over medium for another 5 minutes.  The livers will change in color from burgundy to beige.  Once the livers turn light brown, pour in the balsamic and the red wine.  Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the liquid to a boil. 

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When the pan's contents begin to bubble, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer -- uncovered -- for around 15 minutes.  Slow cooking helps the liquid to condense and will leach the ferrous flavor from the liver.  Add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the red chili flakes. While the liquid is reducing, slice the rustic bread into 8-10 slices.  Toast or grill the bread until crisp.   

After 15 minutes, pour the contents of the skillet into a food processor. Add in the chopped parsley leaves and pulse the mixture until all ingredients have combined.  If you don't own a food processor, you can use the bottom of a large spoon or a potato masher.  The pâté should be a spreadable -- but somewhat lumpy -- paste.  This is rustic fare so the goal is not a velvety mousse.  Spread the pâté on the warmed bread or serve it in a bowl surrounded by the crostini. 

PASTA, BROCCOLI & BREADCRUMBS

Broccoli, like its cauliflower cousin, has a certain fame -- that of being gross.  It's not that broccoli is, by nature, icky.  It's just that generations of American only know what happens when you over-boil it -- gobs of bland broccoli.  When roasted or pan-seared, broccoli can caramelize.  Instead of squishy sludge, you develop a pan-crisped bite.  Even kids will happily nosh on this.

In Italy's heel, broccoli adorns the region's orecchiette pasta.  Literally meaning "little ears," this semolina pasta offers a chewy vessel for sauces or vegetables.  This recipe flash-boils the broccoli and then sautes it in a slurry of garlic, olive oil and anchovies.  Once blanched, the broccoli loses its characteristic bitterness and sops up the oil's savory flavor.  Breadcrumbs add a final crunch.

Photo credit: Cravatta ai fornelli

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of broccoli, florets cut in 1/2-inch to 1 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons of fresh breadcrumbs or panko
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 anchovy filets, chopped
• 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of dried pasta, preferably orecchiette 
• 1/2 of a lemon, juiced

Photo credit: Bon Appetit magazine

Trim the broccoli. First, cut the florets from the main stem. You should have one main stalk and 4-5 clusters of florets. Then, cut the florets again in half.  Repeat this step if necessary — until your the florets around the same size or 1/2-inch or 1-inch in width.  Now, cut off the bottom 2 inches of the main broccoli stalk. It is tough and can be thrown out.  With a vegetable peeler, skin the remaining  stalk until you can see the pale green “flesh” underneath. Chop the tender stalk into 1-inch sticks.

Photo credit: Bon Appetit magazine

Bring the pasta water to a rolling boil.  Add the orecchiette, cooking accordin to the package. 5 minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli florets to the boiling pasta water.  Do not add the 1-inch sticks of the stalk.  While the florets and pasta are cooking, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium.  Add the garlic and anchovies, stirring until the garlic has become aromatic and the anchovies have started to break down (1 minute).  If you like, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes at this point.

Photo credit: Semplice veloce

Add the sticks of broccoli stalk to the anchovy/oil mixture.  Sear them over medium-high heat.  Pay attention to the pan, lowering the heat if it starts to smoke or the garlic starts to brown. When searing, it’s best not to disturb the vegetables. No stirring. No flipping. Leave the broccoli stalks in the hot pan, untouched, for 2 minutes. They’re done when the bottom has turned golden.

Remove the broccoli florets from the boiling water and transfer to the pan with the oil and seared stalks.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.  Add 1 ladle of the pasta water (or 1/2 cup of white wine) to the pan of broccoli.  Simmer — covered — for 4 minutes.



While the broccoli mixture is simmering, toast the breadcrumbs.  To toast them, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to another saute pan. Heat the oil over medium and then mix in the breadcrumbs, stirring until crisped and golden-brown.  Remove crumbs from the flame when toasted.

Pour the cooked orecchiette directly into the pan with the simmered broccoli, cooking for a final 2 minutes over medium-high.  Before serving, dress the pasta with the toasted breadcrumbs and a spritz of lemon juice.  Plate immediately.

BEANS WITH TOMATO & SAGE

I used to not think much of beans. They were mushy. They were bland. When I moved to Florence, though, I found myself in a place that praised the humble bean.  Fagioli, I quickly learned, could be full-flavored.  Florentines eat their beloved beans as a stand-alone dish -- adorned with a glug of olive oil and laced with herbs. One Tuscan recipe, fagioli all'uccelletto, confits cannellini beans in a savory tomatoes, fruity olive oil and sage

 Although the ingredients are simple, simmering over a low flame produces beans imbued with sage's earthy aroma.  Beans' starchiness thickens the tomatoes into a creamy sauce--ideal for sopping  up with a hunk of bread.  Satisfying on their own, these beans are also sturdy enough to be spooned atop braised or grilled meats.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of cooked canellini beans, drained
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
  
• 6-8 leaves of fresh sage, whole
• 1 small can of crushed tomatoes, 14.5 oz
• 1/4 cup of water
• Salt and pepper to taste 

On the stove, heat the olive oil at medium. Saute the garlic until it is softened and aromatic (but before it browns). Add 5 sage leaves and frizzle them for 1 minute in the oil.  Then, pour in the tomatoes, water, drained beans and salt / pepper. Simmer over moderate (medium-low) heat for 20-25 minutes -- until the tomato mixture becomes creamy and thickens.  Before serving, garnish with 1-2 fresh sage leaves.  Serve while hot.

PICKLED ZUCCHINE

Cooks in Italy's South fry zucchine and then flash-pickle them.  While the ratio of ingredients will vary house to house, the zucchine are normally marinated in a bath of vinegar, garlic and fresh mint.  The zing of vinegar, the heat of garlic, and the coolness of mint transform this simple squash.

Zucchine alla scapece is a traditional side in Naples. Both the oil and the vinegar come from nearby producers, highlighting the flavors of local vino and regional olives.  Ruled for centuries by the Spanish, Naple's food is also inflected with an Iberian accent.  The name of this dish, in fact, comes from the Spanish "escabeche" -- meaning cured in vinegar.

INGREDIENTS:

* 5-6 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

* Extra-virgin olive oil

MARINADE 

* Red wine vinegar, 150 ml

* Water, 150 ml

* 1-2 garlic cloves, minced

* 1/4 cup of mint leaves, unchopped  

Wash the zucchine. Then, chop each one into thin rounds -- anywhere between an 1/4 and 1/8 inch. Place all of the slices into a large mixing bowl and toss with 2 teaspoons of salt.  Let the salted zucchine sit at room temperature for 2 hours.  The salt will help draw out the water, making the frying less... splatter-y.  After 2 hours, pour out the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.

Heat 1 to 1.5 cups of olive oil over medium heat.  When the oil reaches 350F, begin frying the zucchine in batches.  Flip the zucchine slices during frying to ensure that both sides cook equally. After about 5 minutes, the slices should be uniformly golden-brown. Move them to a bowl with a slotted spoon.  Repeat this process until all are fried.  Normally, it takes me 2-3 separate batches. Keep the oil. 

While the zucchine are frying, pour the water and the vinegar into a sauce pan.  Heat the liquids over medium-high heat, adding the minced garlic.  The acidic water will help cut the spiciness of the raw garlic.  Cook the garlic-vinegar-water mixture for 10 minutes.  It's fine if it bubbles and boils. 

Pour the marinade over the fried zucchine slices.  Toss the dressed vegetables with the whole mint leaves and 1-2 tbs. of the frying oil.  Let the dressed zucchine marinate for a 2 hours before serving -- this gives the zucchine time to absorb the vinegar and the mint time to accent the dish.  Marinated zucchine will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. 

EGGPLANT CAPONATA

      
    Traditional Caponata -- a sweet-and-sour marriage of eggplant, celery, and capers -- is an oily affair.  This Sicilian antipasto is made by sauteing vegetables, olives and pine nuts in a bath of sizzling oil.  While frying helps to caramelize the eggplant, the final dish can be a bit... heavy.  To combat its unctuousness, I've begun baking mine. Roasting at high heat gives the veggies time to caramelize -- all with a fraction of the oil used in the classic recipe.    

Whether smeared on toast or eaten on its own, caponata offers a mix of tangy vinegar and oven-sweetened vegetables.  Sicilian recipes call for sauteing the cubed eggplant, diced celery and chopped onions separately -- to ensure that each ingredient morphs from raw to tender.  But, the same taste can be achieved by braising the melange, slowly, in a hot oven.

 Chop. Toss. Braise. Serve. 

INGREDIENTS

1 large sweet red onion, diced
3 large bell peppers -- red or yellow, diced

2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces

4-5 medium Italian eggplant, cubed (5 cups)

2 tbs. capers

2 cloves garlic, rough chopped

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes (13 oz)

1.5 tbs sugar

1.5 tsp. salt

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Dice and chop the assorted vegetables.  Place the vegetable mixture in 1 large roasting pan or 2 medium casserole pans.  Add the capers, minced garlic and olive oil.  Toss to coat all of the vegetables with the oil.  Once coated, pour in the canned tomatoes and toss once more.

Add in the salt, sugar and vinegar.  Toss the mixture to distribute the sweet-and-sour seasonings. Braise uncovered for 90 minutes in the oven.  After 40-45 minutes, stir vegetables with a wooden spoon -- this ensures that nothing will stick to the bottom of the pan.  By the end, the liquid will condense and the vegetables will turn pliant and sweet.

Feel free to leave any tasting additions / modifications in the comment section.
 

FRIED OLIVES

Sicilian cooks bake them until the flesh has softened.  Neapolitans make a pasta sauce out of black ones, tomatoes and anchovies.  Bars will serve bowls of them alongside boozy drinks. Olives.

Grown from regional varietals, Italy's olives differ in color, shape and size.  Some are large and emerald green. Others are peanut-sized and eggplant purple. Olives canned in the U.S. tend to taste like salt -- having been drowned in brine.  Mediterranean olives, though, get cured in herbs, salt and extra virgin olive oil. You can still taste the olive.  

Fried olives are a classic appetizer in central Italy.  Some recipes call for stuffing the olives with grated cheese and prosciutto.  Others keep things simple -- dredging them in breadcrumbs and then frizzling in hot oil.   

INGREDIENTS

* 1.5 - 2 cups pitted green Mediterranean olives

* 2 eggs, whisked

* 3/4 cup of bread crumbs

* 1/4 cup of grated parmigiano or pecorino cheese

* Oil for frying -- olive or sunflower oil

Whisk the 2 eggs in a bowl until frothy.  Pour the breadcrumbs into another bowl. Then, mix the 1/4 cup of grated cheese into the breadcrumbs.  Dip the pitted olives in the egg and then dredge in the cheese-breadcrumb mix. Repeat this process a second time to ensure that the coating sticks to the olives during frying.  

Heat 3 cups (at least) of oil over medium high heat. Use a tall and sturdy stockpot -- this will prevent the oil from splattering on your stove and give you enough depth for frying.  Olive oil begins to burn at 375F. So, if you want to fry in olive oil, be sure it hovers around 350F.  For frying, it is better to use a lower grade -- ahem, cheaper-- olive oil. Keep your extra virgin for another time. (For more on frying, see this New York Times piece).

Using a candy thermometer, test the oil's temperature. When it reaches 350F, it's ready.  Fry the olives in batches until golden brown: 2-4 minutes per batch.  Remove the fried olives to a paper towel.  Serve immediately. Can you eat just one?

SWEET RICOTTA CREAM

Desserts can intimidate.  Cakes take hours to bake and frost. Souffles are prone to collapse. Pies can easily burn past edibility. But, when guests come for dinner, you also don't want to serve store-bought cookies.  My solution: desserts that taste like you spent hours in the kitchen. You don't need to be a pastry chef to elicit "oohs" and "ahhs" from your guests at dessert time.

This crema will sate demanding palates and save you hours of prep time.  It's similar to the filling of cannoli: sweetened ricotta cheese with a touch of citrus or pistachio. Ricotta has a neutral, milky flavor. So, worry not, your dessert will not taste cheesy.  Whole-milk ricotta gives the dish a custard-like texture -- all without the addition of eggs or cream.

The recipe has three easy-to-execute steps: 1) put the ricotta in a bowl, 2) sweeten with confectioners' sugar, and 3) serve.  That's it.  Typically, I will also add the zest of one orange or one lemon. Citrus brightens the dessert's sweetness.  If you have limoncello or Cointreau on hand, you can mix 1-2 tablespoons of the liqueur in as well.

 

INGREDIENTS 

* 1.5 pounds (24 ounces) of whole-milk ricotta

* Zest of 1 orange or 1 lemon

* 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 

* 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup of confectioners' sugar

* Chopped unsalted pistachios (optional) 

** Be sure to buy whole-milk ricotta.  Non-fat ricotta is fine for savory dishes, like lasagna, but it has no flavor on its own. Whole-milk ricotta, on the other hand, has a creamy and almost butter-like taste. Personally, I am a fan of Calabro's whole-milk ricotta. 

Spoon the chilled ricotta into a large mixing bowl. Grate the zest of 1 orange or 1 lemon into the bowl.  Fold the zest into the ricotta, stirring to make sure it distributes evenly.  Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and stir with your spoon.  At this point, add 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar.  Taste it.  If it is not sweet enough, add another 1/4 cup of sugar.  If you like the sweetness, leave it as is.

Fold the sugar into the mixture until you have a smooth and wet cream. Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes -- this will give the powdered sugar time melt into the ricotta.  Chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve. 

Before serving, I like to scoop the crema into individual "fancy" cups.  Doing so gives an restaurant-quality feel to a humble treat.  The last time I served this dish, I plated the cream in copper cocktail mugs.  If you like, you can sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of chopped pistachios on top of each cup. A drizzle of honey is also tasty.